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POEMS: 



COMPRISING 



THE LAST MAN; 



ELEMENTS OF THE BhlAUTlFUL; 



DEATH 



BY ROBERT TYLER 



I'HXLAUELPHiA : 
HENRY PERK1N,S — CHESTNUT STREET 

1839. 



48 6555 

JUL 2 1942 






PREFACE, 



The author of the " Last Man" lays no claim to origin- 
ality in the conception of the subject of his poem. It is as 
old as the time of the crucifixion, and is to be found, he 
believes, recorded in scriptural history. It seemed, how- 
ever, to present to his mind a good material out of which to 
construct a poem of some interest. How he has succeeded 
in his undertaking the public will decide. At the same 
time he begs leave to say, that the age at which the poem 
was written (the author then being only nineteen), and the 
naked inexperience of a first effort, may excuse many of its 
imperfections. 

The " Elements of the Beautiful" was written the latter 

part of last year^ and it is in a state of mind vacillating 

between doubt and hope, that the author, at the solicitation 

of some of his friends, has determined to make it public. 

He flatters himself, however, that the poem may not prove 

entirely unworthy to be read by his countrymen. 
1* 



ROBERT SAUNDERS, Esq. 



PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS, ETC. IN WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE, 
VIRGINIA, 



THIS POEM 



IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY 



THE AUTHOR. 



THE LAST MAN. 



Now from the world had nature's freshness faded 

Amidst Time's hoariness ; for ever was her 

Gorgeous glory gone. All-hideous Death, 

Insatiate ravager, on his broad wings 

Of heavy darkness, lay motionless in air. 

Brooding o'er old aged Earth ; and all things, 

Animate and inanimate, under his 

Pestilential breath, the warm juices 

Of healthy life did lose, and shrink, and perish. 

Alternate sickly pale and darkly eclipsed, 

The huge round Sun looked faintly down through 

The thick atmosphere. Its watery rays, 

Robb'd of beneficent warmth, cold and slimy 

As the crawling grave worm, fell dismally 

On earth, all vegetation poisoning, 
2 



14 THE LAST MAN. 

And the buds and seeds of all kinds of fruits 
And flowers freezing and blasting with touch 
Destructive, icy and envenomed. Its heat 
All gone, shorn of its happy brightness, with aspect 
Unsteady, and in lurid gloom terrifically 
Gleaming, hideously sad, swung in heaven's 
Illimitable field the noontide orb, 
In olden time so glorious. 

With notes 
Discordant, as those horrid sounds in groaning 
Thunder grating loud and strong, made by hell's 
Clanging gates, when Death and Sin, darting. 
With restless hands, their scorpion spears, drive 
Through these red-hot iron portals, down to raging 
Torment's aspic arms, a troop of wretched 
Souls, to never-ending torture doom'd, 
The planetary spheres, no longer orbital 
In their paths of light, now quenched and blotted 
Out from heaven's great chart, heady and blind, 
Hither and thither err, wand'ring aimless 



THE LAST MAN. 15 

And compassless through the withering skies. Pale 
Terror arm'd, flashing fierce lightnings from his 
Baleful eyes, stalks with colossal strides abroad, 
And Day, affrighted, sick in horrid agony, 
Expires, yielding his rayless throne to pitchy 
Nightj'whose stiller and sadder shadows 
In mournful obscurity thickly enshroud 
The senile universe. And then unbroken, 
Save by some meteor hissing on its streaming 
Track, or here and there a star which had not 
Lost aU form and colour in the general 
Darkness, in the unillumined void shining 
Portentous with tremulous and flaring 
Disk — primeval Chaos reign'd. 

Earth herself, 
Unbalanced, decaying, and desolate, 
The music of her circling motion lost. 
Feebly wheel'd on through the limitless space, 
Alone and inharmonious. Old age. 
Resistless age unchanging, corrupting. 



16 THE LAST MAN. 

In all its subtlest essence Nature felt, 

And her strongest children, sea, tree, and mountain. 

Were around her dying fast away. 

Victorious had conquering Time become 

At last, with strength almighty gifted, 

And the scepter' d rule of his avenging 

Arm all things acknowledged. Old appear'd 

The Sun, through ages on ages shining 

Incomputable, myriads on myriads ; 

Wrapped in its hazy pall, the sky looked old^. 

And moaning convulsively at life's 

Universal wreck, prostrate had wither'd 

Nature sunk appall'd and trembling. 

Gnarl'd 
And barkless in that last day, amid the breathless 
Winds, tall and unbending, the stark forest 
Trees stood up all leafless and branchless, 
And solitary in those vast groves sat 
Tongueless Silence on her ebon throne, canopied 
By black and stirless clouds, while her hush'd reign 



THE LAST MAN. 17 

The whole earth noiseless witness'd. Jesu ! how 

strange 
That not a sound was there, nor stealthy pace 
Of crouching cat, or swift tiger glaring wild 
With ball of fire savage as his untaught 
Heart, when, with growl and spring clutching 
Quick and fast his victim, he digs his reeking 
Muzzle into its streaming throat ; nor horn-bill'd 
Woodpecker's drowsy tap, nor ploughman's 
Plaintive whistle wandering from field 
To happy cottage home forest embosom'd. 
Even Echo, that fairy maid, too beauteous 
To be seen by mortal eye, lurking in shady 
Covert of aged wood, or in the crystal 
Grotto's sparry halls, or seeking the limpid 
Wave of mountain streamlet, in some cool 
Pebbly cove, shelter'd, by Nature's veil of time-worn 
Rocks and waving copse wood green, from common 
Sight, wherein to bathe most chastely her faultless 

Limbs, even Echo had pined and died, list'ning 

2* 



18 THE LAST MAN. 

In vain the love-toned voice of him, her faithless 

Lover, whose call oft flying, yet answering 

As oft, much she worshipp'd. No lay of sportive 

Bird, no insect's chirping note, was heard 

To the bright sunbeam singing. Th' oppressive 

Stillness agonised nature's ear of perfect 

Melody, and the softest sweep of insect's 

Filmy wing (if such there had been) flying 

On unmark'd way through air's deep solitudes, 

Would, with the trumpet note of a thousand 

Stunning thunders, have smote upon the senseless ear. 

Extinguish' d were earth's hidden fires : 

Stern earthquake's voice of ire was for ever 

Hush'd. Cold were the volcanoes' iron-melting 

Furnaces, to glow and hiss with heat once 

Madly forced by winged Tempests' imprisoned 

Breaths. Around them mingled lay masses 

Of blackening cinders, and sand, and stones. 

And the fused ores of metals corrupt, decaying. 

The furrowing marks and scars of age extreme 



THE LAST MAN. 19 

All things did bear. No tott'ring arch, nor cornice 
Mouldering into dust, nor broken pillar 
Half buried, lay strewn on the barren ground, 
To tell their ancient tale of cities magnificent. 
Where once had congregated the busy- 
Millions of an ant-like race, amid gold 
And purple, and luxury's costly show. 
And rags, and wretchedness, and poverty's 
Squalid rule. The ruby's ruddy ray. 
The diamond's star-like light, the mine of untouch'd 
Gold, and bright and tempting things that sell men's 
Souls, and win their senses into hapless bondage. 
Had been exposed to man's keen eye, and trembling. 
Griping hand ; and to his crafty search old 
Ocean, from his palaces in the unfathom'd depths, 
Had yielded forth his treasur'd miracles. 
On these, the gorgeous monuments of his fame, 
And to his pleasures, gayest ministers, 
In finest ingenuity had man wrought 
Hard, and in genius' dazzling inspirations 



20 THE LAST MAN. 

Had schemes devised of noblest immortality. 
But on him fell at last the terrible 
Curse destructive, and low^, annihilated 
Into ashes, together sank at once worshippers 
And worshipped, — idol, idolaters, temples, 
Priests, and all. 

Untrodden through all past time, 
The lofty mountains' unscal'd peaks, ever 
And anon fell tumbling, as with the crash 
Of swiftly wheeling worlds meeting in viewless 
Space. The foamy torrents, as adown the sides 
Of rocky hills, from crag to crag they leap'd, 
Had long ceased their brawling courses. In 
The sheltering clifts of walled precipice, 
The tender and fair leaved flower, like 
Innocence in a rough world, no longer 
Grew unseen, and bloom'd in aromatic 
Airs, and droop'd, and faded, and wither'd. 
The unfragrant lichen, to the unmoist rock. 
Grasping at vitality, was no longer known 



THE LAST MAN. 21 

Desperately to cleave. Together fast 
Crumbling were rock and earth away ; 
And of the savage world its bristling monsters 
Were quick losing place, and form, and terror, 
And aspect harsh and wild. 

Crestless and surgeless 
The untravel'd seas, unruffl'd by tide 
Or lifting breeze (the moon now powerless) 
Slept dark and stagnant on their unwashed sands ; 
In their thick heaviness the inky waters 
Diminish'd not, but calmly they rested 
Inelastic though yet fathomless. Dried up 
Were the broad beds of the rivers' shallower 
Depths, while between their banks, now useless. 
Rapidly consuming, were bones of fishes 
Innumerable, thickly commingled with 
Skeleton remains of men and beasts, all 
Loathesome. 

Of all existence various 
And wondrous that was in the new world's 



22 ■ THE LAST MAN. 

Morning, by great Wisdom's self bidden 
Into harmonious beauty, of life that could 
Die, not now remain'd the smallest, feeblest 
Spark. Untenanted was air's buoyant 
Domains : ocean's countless throngs were gone ; 
All kinds of beasts which knew the firmer 
Land, and the millions exhaustless of the insect 
Race, sporting in flood of happiest sunshine. 
Or searching 'mid sweet spring's fragrant flowers 
For enamell'd honied drops, or sip of dew 
Morn's earliest rose embalming, empearl'd 
In purest font, delicious draught ! down 
To the eternal grave, in his uncounted 
Generations, man had long since gone. His 
Governments vainly aspir'd to bear 
Immortal impress. Empires mighty, and great 
Kingdoms, wiser republics, in pride had 
All been born, in strength robust had grown, 
And then had sunk into Death's wide arms, 
To be forgotten, as Time his voiceful 



THE LAST MAN. 23 

Record threw into eternity's profound 
Abysm. 

All wete dead that could die. And yet 
One heart did beat on earth. The wand'ring Jew, 
Deep-hated Ahasuerus, owned its feeble pulse. 
Unwilling witness of life's unhappy end, 
Stern matter's slow decay, and over Time 
Eternity's dread triumph, the last man 
Stood on earth alone. But mercy (so full 
Is God of mercy) was even to him extended ; 
And the moment now was near at hand, when 
An act of blackest sin, deep dyed in crime, 
Horrid and unspeakable, was from Heaven's 
Register, in godlike charity, to be 
Blotted out* 

On a time gray rock gigantic, 
Towering, stood the most terribly accurs'd, 
And with immortal sight his eye expanding, 
O'er tideless ocean wander'd, and old aged 
Land, now bald and tenantless, and through 



24 THE LAST MAN. 

The deep space of the unnatural skies 
Cold, desolate, and dreary. On the to tt' ring 
Mount tremblingly he stood, and for the last 
Time, for the last time, long and earnestly 
Abroad he gazed in anguish. But, sudden. 
Tense and strong the muscles of his palsied 
Limbs became, and his low and muttering 
Voice, firm and sonorous as in manhood's 
Prime, and in his eyes was gather'd gradually 
A fire lustrous though steady, and confidingly 
He raised his suffering brow in willing trust. 
Insensibly from beneath his feet the soil 
No longer slid. The mould'ring rocks, nodding 
And ghastly, no longer shrank around him 
With lack of strength : and nature ceased her wail, 
When his clear voice, deep and thrilling. 
The unbending justice of eternal God 
Proclaiming, of light and love and truth 
The Almighty Father, loud from amidst 
The silence of earth's grave peal'd forth 



THE LAST MAN. 25 

By the winds and stars to be attested, 

And the sun himself, and the farthermost 

Distant heavens. 

Dread God ! who sitteth 

In infinity amid the lights of suns. 

Revolving in their golden spheres in brightness 

Everlasting ; of the universal worlds 

Architect almighty, and in exhaustless 

Splendours high enthroned above the starry 

Hosts, in glory inexpressible and eternal ; 

Whose beginning unconceived eternity 

Will never know ; whose end futurity 

May never witness ; Lord of the boundless 

Skies, Ruler of light and darkness, whose 

Power of perfect love through all the wide 

Outspread dominions of the infinite 

Void extends empire without end, and whose 

Slightest will can into atoms strew 

The heavens sublime and all that in them is ; 

Hear me, Father Omnipotent, me the accursed, 
3 



26 THE LAST MAN. 

Who now in humblest penitence lowly 

Doth bend before thy throne, thy throne of glory. 

God of my fathers, I pray for mercy ; 

Thou knowest through thousands of torturing 

Ages I have suffered pain, pain constant, 

Unalleviated in its scorching fire. 

On my haggard brow is stamp'd care's furrow'd 

Impress ; over my wasting form, wave 

Following wave in wrath uncheck'd, time's 

Hissing surges merciless have dashed. 

All in vain my hands were clasp'd imploring. 

All in vain in the soul's big agony 

My rugged knees were bent to thee appealing, 

All in vain my voice was raised to thee 

In passion's fervid accent : Among my race 

A Parian outcast, denied of thee, O God 

Of Israel ! oft amid the lightning's scathing 

Bolts, when time was young, and earth 

Was green, have I protectless been driven 

Forth, while in lurid gloom the storm has 



THE LAST MAN. 27 

Fiercely frown'd, and down to the pitiless 

Dust I have been stricken like a pithless 

Weed. Alone, oft lying on the jagged edge 

Of horrid precipice, in its rude might 

I have felt the rock-ribb'd mountain tremble 

At the earthquake-demon's pealing shout, 

His charging cry of battle — and as onw^ard 

Like chafed ocean's sweeping, roaring tide, 

The million-winged monarch of the tempest 

Came with front of hideous gloom, and eye 

Whose flash was lightning, before his course 

Direful, resistless, I have sunk powerless. 

Earth's dark bosom has received me, man's grave, 

But not my grave, and in this living tomb 

With loathsome bones, and crumbling stones heap'd up 

Together, over and around me, for years uncounted 

Have I laid alive praying to die, until 

The voice imperative of mighty fate. 

Thy sleepless agent, would be loudly heard, 

Calling me from out my charnel prison 



28 THE LAST MAN. 

House, to pass through other scenes of unchanged 
Misery. On ocean's restless breast have 
I been toss'd, and with his slimy monsters, 
Into his fathomless depths, have gone darkly 
Down, and while kingdoms were building up 
And falling into ruins, have been whirl'd 
In his voiceless eddies. All things have I 
Outlived. Fear from danger shrinking 
I know not now, and pain assails with barbed 
Shaft my callous limbs no longer. Man 
Has been forgotten long, and all the happy ties 
Which bound me to my kind. The strength 
Of solid earth has pass'd away, and a pall 
Of gloom funereal the once bright heaven 
Involves. Memory on its bitter aliment 
Hath fed until its light is out, except i 
That which consumingly, like to a furnace 
Fire, it sheds upon one hurried act, one deed 
Of shame and sin. Hope only now remains, 
Hope in thy mercy infinitely great and good. 



THE LAST MAN. 29 

The LAST MAN bows submissive to thy will, 

O Father, and sheds the tear of penitence. 

And calls aloud on thee for mercy. Glory 

To thee, most high God, and to thee, merciful 

Saviour and Redeemer, who with radiant 

Hosts of cherubim, and seraphim which sing 

Continual praises, doth sit on thrones 

Of purest light above — amen — amen. 

As thus the fated spoke, in fear, in faith, 

In heartfelt penitence he bow'd his head 

Submissive, and at his feet the tear upon 

The bare and thirsty ground did fall, 

And softer and clearer than can be conceived 

In human thought, a voice did flow like 

Muttering music in his ear, and the whole 

Universe heard the words and trembled : 

" Thou art pardon'd." 

Through the wide heavens the word of grace 

Went forth, and earth, her appointed hour 

Being come, dissolved away in darkness. 
3* 



30 



ADDRESS 



ELEMENTS OF THE BEAUTIFUL. 



Earth, sea, and sky : earth, warm and beautiful 

As the broad sun sets in massy splendour, 

Hill tops and forest lustrous with borrow'd gold, 

All heaven flooded with his glorious beams ; 

Sea, whose broad expanse, light heaving beneath 

The effulgent sunset, in its em'rald depths 

Might woo the spirit of the feathery cloud 

To view her smiling form, to whose wild music, 

Faint and low, and sweet as tone of lyre, struck out 

By beauty's hand. Zephyr doth gently sport. 

Whose softly swelling wave might rock a baby-child 

To sleep. — Sky, into whose azure void so deep, 



ELEMENTS OF THE BEAUTIFUL. 31 

The eye doth strain, searching for Heaven's palaces. 

Cloudless, save in those of shape fantastic, 

And of gorgeous dyes, which day's proud monarch, 

Royal to the last, hath call'd around him. 

His pompous exit from the world to witness — 

Earth, warm and gay, and beautifully bright 

In summer's richest garniture array'd. 

Broad beaming sun, fair flowers, soft green turf. 

And tall trees bending with their leafy burdens ; 

Sea, by thine own melodious murmurings, 

Soothed to rest ; — sky, lovely as eye of seraphim, 

The unfading elements ye are of bright 

And beautiful. From boyhood's playful hour 

My passionate worship ye have always been, 

For in your fine existences I have 

Ever felt that mystic spirit, which, with 

The rare essence of the soul commingling. 

Lights up a dazzling flame immortal, never 

To be quench'd till fame shall die, and glory 

Be no more. In your thousand forms enchanting, 



32 ADDRESS TO THE 

Ye have I often seen, and wrapp'd in lofty 
Contemplation, with fer\dd thought my daring 
Soul has burn'd, and highest aspiration. 
Deep to drink of wisdom's living waters, 
That I might to the world some hidden secret 
Teach, magnificent and wondrous, or act 
Some mighty deed of good, a legacy 
To man, a record on glory's stateliest 
Arch, a monument to stand unmoulder'd 
By oblivion's rustying touch. 

Or else, 
Sinking with dreamy consciousness of bliss, 
Prone on the verdant turf, all sprinkled o'er 
With loveliest, rarest flowers, white, purely 
White as the smooth brow of shrinking innocence, 
Or purple as the rich dye that paints morn's 
Earliest cloud, or bright amber-tinted 
As the gleamy ray shot forth by evening's 
Golden sun on plat of greensward glowing ; 
And while thus reclining on my pillowing 



ELEMENTS OF THE BEAUTIFUL. 33 

Arm, I listen to the quivering leaves 
With joyous whispers, and in tuneful time 
Dancing above my head to fairy notes 
Of music-enamour' d south wind, inhaling 
Choicest fragratice, I have gently mused. 
On things past have I gently mused — on things 
To come, while the fair present, like an isle 
Enchanted, in magic colours brightly 
Seen, around me lay in slumbrous beauty. 
On mem'ry have I softly call'd, on mem'ry. 
With her starry train attendant, pleasures 
And joys subtle and of mystic birth like 
Dream heard melodies, innocent triumph, 
And delight high and exultant. Through 
The light shadows of the unforgotten 
Past, with these, her chosen handmaids, I have 
Bid her come, my untutor'd heart upfilling 
With a rare, sweet gladness. Bright images 
She has shown me, fair thoughts, though sometimes 
tinged 



34 " ADDRESS TO THE 

With melancholy, I have from her won, 
By soothing arts, and her voice, O haply. 
Yet lingers on my ear, musical as 
The pebbly rill, that plaintive sings unto 
The sleeping flowers on summer's holy eve. 

Hope, too, ethereal hope, half earthly. 
Half divine ; fair herald of the future, 
Array'd in garments multicolour'd, yet 
All beautiful, unbidden, though thrice welcome 
Thou hast, in such blissful moments, to me 
Been as a fond mother. Oft the thick 
Obscuring curtain from the future world 
Thou hast unveil'd, and tempering to my 
Shrinking gaze, a mortal, the view resplendent, 
Things have I beheld of wondrous brightness, 
Strange, strange, and yet exceeding glorious ! 
On jasper columns, high tow'ring amid 
The peaceful skies, peaceful and clear, but still 
Of varied hues celestial, on which 
The eternal sun shone with intensest 



ELEMENTS OF THE BEAUTIFUL. 35 

Splendour, compelling old Time himself his 
Baleful eyes to veil, in deathless characters, 
Name on name appear'd of those Fame's mighty 
Sons, who in irradiate glory died, 
To be as gods in after life. Their blazing 
Summits countless glories crown'd, glories which 
Thus attend the sculptur'd records of the great 
Immortal. In grandeur proud beyond these 
Pillar'd monuments, whose roof might scarce be 
Spann'd by rainbow's loftiest arch, glittering 
In precious stones inestimable, stood 
That temple, consecrate by fame from nature's 
Noblest birth, to immortality, of frame 
Symmetrical, and of finest art. 
To equal which no mortal hand can without 
Death aspire, yet of bulk more huge than that 
Fam'd city of the sun in flinty Araby, 
Under whose heavy burden earth overstrain'd 
Did groan, or monstrous Tyre sea-belted. 
Or thick wall'd Babylon. On the broad 



36 



ADDRESS TO THE 



Enfolding doors I saw, in letters, whose 
Lines were silvery stars, home of the illustrious 
Written. High thrones of amethyst along 
The porphyre walls were ranged, and on these were 
Statues placed, in semblance exact of life 
Of those, the blessed, who for good and right 
Had warr'd, with open sword, or wisdom's speech 
Persuasive, or iron will, unbent to tyrant's 
Frown or wrench of galling chain. Each wore 
. A jewell'd crown, each splendid, but dissim'lar 
In shape and colour, which sat most loftily 
On their stately brows ; some of diamond. 
Diamond throughout, unflaw'd, unstain'd. 
And priceless, to which all heaps of earthly 
Gold would be as valueless as dust by 
Thriftless minds squander'd abroad ; others 
Of glowing carbuncle, or ruby stain'd. 
Out gleaming the warrior planet of the skies ; 
Others opal, or amber-ray'd, like cloudless 
Liquid, mellow'd light from autumn's westring 



ELEMENTS OF THE BEAUTIFTJL. 37 

Sun ; others of snowy pearl, and others 

Still of deep green emerald, fashioned 

In shape of oak, or laurel wreath. In their 

Ensculptured hands emblems of dignity 

They held; the impartial sword of justice, truth's 

Lustrous shield, on whose keen dazzling surface 

Falsehood look'd to die, the rod of lawless power 

Snatch'd from the despot's grasp and broken, broad 

Charter of man's rights, won from prerogative 

By purchase, harp in whose magic strings lurk'd 

Poesy and music, and rare book well fiU'd 

With the rich problems of a calm philosophy. 

Beneath their feet, scatter'd around, lay fragments 

Of stain'd and mould'ring fetters, and batter'd 

Crowns, and batons of hereditary 

Office, stripp'd of their gold and glitter, 

Lack-lustre gems, which once had graced the crowns 

Of haughty tyrants, edicts for blood or 

Treasure thirsting, now torn and miserably 

Soil'd, and all the profane mummeries which 
4 



38 ELEMENTS OF THE BEAUTIFUL. 

Kings and thrones put on. Entranced I lie 
And gaze, until, methinks, quick starting 
To my feet, with flushed cheek and deeply 
Swelling soul, a wild outburst of heaven-toned 
Minstrelsy, loud volumed as the thunder's 
Roar, yet, to my unstrained ear, soft as 
Tremulous sigh of love-lorn lute, gives hail 
To me, a lowly son of song, as one 
Whom fame in after times should welcome 
To these sunlit halls, as one to die 
In glory's arms, even as they had died. 
On the green and fragrant grass outstretched, 
Calm sky above, and nature dressed in smiles 
Around me — such visions have I seen. 



THE HON. WADDIE THOMPSON, 



OF SODTH CAROLINA, 



THE HON. JOHN P. KENNEDY, 



OF MARYLAND, 



THIS POEM 



IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY 



THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE. 



The following poem may be regarded as written partly in 
a style innovating on the established blank verse measure. 
For this, if for no other reason, it may be considered a fit 
subject for critical chastisement. With proper respect for 
the opinions of others, however, I think otherwise. It will 
be remembered that all styles of verse are founded on rules 
of poetic propriety, entirely conventional. These conven- 
tional laws are adopted because of a supposed suitability 
to the end proposed to be attained. This end, so far as 
the prosody of verse is concerned, directs itself strictly to 
the ear, to win this sense to pleasure or admiration by the 
wooing harmony of sounds. In this respect mark the 
regular progress and return of the lyrical measure, the 
Spenserian stanza, and the ten-syllabled lines of blank 
verse. But it cannot be maintained, with intellectual 

propriety, or even without absurdity, that there may not be 

4* 



42 PREFACE. 

improvement in the prosodiacal construction of verse as pro- 
perly as in prose writing, and those thousand other subjects 
of human invention, which are gradually undergoing the im- 
provement of an enlightened reformation, as the mental 
power of man acquires deeper energies and greater strength 
of capacity. I do not intend laying myself open to the 
charge of egotism in expressing this opinion. I merely 
intend uttering a sentiment of general import — maintaining, 
simply, that the question is yet open, and that the sole 
circumstance of this poem being composed in a style which 
may be regarded as an innovation on any pre-established 
measure, is not, because of that alone, subject to be placed 
under the ban of a contemptuous criticism. If it does not, 
in itself, offend against the ear or the mind, against the 
innate fastidious delicacy of tlie one, or the elaborated rules 
of the other, any other objection of necessity must be 
puerile. 

To come to my reasons for having chosen this particular 
character of versification. To remark nothing on the 
authority, to a certain extent, at least, given for it in the 
weighty example of several of the first poets who have 
graced the world of English literature, or who have existed 
during any age on earth, and independently of the corrobo- 
rative testimony of Mr. Shelly, particularly as to its perfect 



PREFACE. 43 

consonance with good taste, it appears to me there arc reasons 
intrinsic to the case decisive of the issue. The great ex- 
cellences of a good poem, written in sequent uninterrupted 
blank verse, are the scope and majesty of idea admissible, 
the power of a proper and chaste inflexion, which is not 
only allowable but even desirable, and the strong harmonious 
and unintermittent flow of the musical current. But if this 
particular order of verse has these advantages, it likewise 
has its correspondent array of objections. The inelasticity 
of its construction, which inflexion itself does not properly 
remedy, the monotony of its sound, the turgid and tiresome 
appearance of page after page of this unaltering and un- 
breathing verse, fatiguing to the very eye itself, must be 
regarded as faults, from which it will be highly desirable, if 
possible, to relieve any poem. The style of the following 
composition is offered as an attempt to remedy some of these 
objections. Whether it answers its intention, whether it 
may not be subject to less excusable objections than ordi- 
nary blank verse, is yet for the public to decide. I will be 
excused for thinking favourably of this remedial attempt, 
and can but hope for favour from the world of letters. 

It will be observed that the poem, as regards substance or 
idea, is of the ideal, or of that school of poetry the least 
popular. There is no appeal, or but little, to passion, 



44 PREFACE. 

which, at this day, makes poetry so fashionable and popular. 
It has been my desire to obtain images solely intellectual, 
divested, as much as possible, of every extraneous impres- 
sion ; and to present these images, for the most part, in a 
musical, breathing, and elastic verse, except in cases in 
which the idea of the verse requires otherwise ; for it is very 
evident it would be improper to use the same kind of lan- 
guage in the description of thunder as of a summer breeze or 
delicate spring flower. Much of the poem, indeed, is written 
in regular blank verse ; but I have endeavoured as much as 
possible, in the use of other poetic measures, to relieve it 
from monotony and the other above mentioned objections. 

It may be urged that I am only an imitator of Mr. 
Shelley. This charge, if made, I repel, since I disdain to 
be a mere imitator of any one ; but at the same time I eim 
proud to acknowledge that I have made Mr. Shelley's 
poetry a subject of severe study. In my estimation there is 
no English poet his superior, and but very few his equal. 

With these hasty explanations, I now present this poem 
(in part) to the public. Part the second will be forthcoming 
in due time. 



BEAT 



What art thou, and whence, O mighty Death ! whose 
Ghastly shadow palls the universe ? Unseen 
Thy form by man, yet in its infinite strength 
Immortal, darkly, terribly unchanging. 
Unfelt thy heavy hand, yet crushing in their 
Spheres of splendour roUing worlds. Unheard 
Thy voice, uncompass'd in its knelling tone, 
Yet ever speaking dread command resistless : 
Who, as a huge undying serpent, gnawest ■ 
At nature's strong-pulsed heart, until upon 
Her shrieks and pain thou glutt'st thy rancorous 
Fill; — whence comest thou, array'd in horrors 
Undefined, and sablest terrors, inhuman 
And all hideous one ? 



46 DEATH. 

Thou, whose word, grating 
In harshest sound, bids harmony into 
Discord, and canst make the music of the stars 
As groaning thunder ; who canst smite the fires 
Of the sun, and turn this blazing fount of light 
To vasty fields of foul and stagnant darkness ; 
Avenging minister of God's great curse 
On man, shadow of universe, nature's 
Promethean vulture, life's veil'd antithesis — 
What art thou, dread and horrid one ? 

On ocean's 
Surging gulf I lay^-night sat above me 
On her leaden throne, her form dark veil'd 
In ebon clouds and gloom, and hidden from 
The paly-gleaming stars. On me these thoughts 
Then fell, and when I spake, a voice came down 
From out the blacken'd skies, and answer'd 
To my words. 

" Mortal of fearless soul, whose 
Eye undaunted seeks to roam beyond earth's 



DEATH. 47 

Common barrier, aud to know the wondrous 
Mysteries of Death, shake off the chain that 
Binds thy spirit's wings ; up, fly, and come with me. 
And surely shalt thou see all that thy heart 
Beats fast and loud to know." 

With a quick 
Impulse my soul leapt from its bonds. Mortality's 
Cold grasp no longer felt, from the billowy 
Bosom of the rolling sea I sprang, an essence 
Strong and joyful in its disembodied bliss ; 
By that voice which spake to me, I stood, 
(A spirit in air ethereal, poised 
On starry wings,) all time, and space, and power, 
Of length, and depth, and breadth, all knowledge 
Of the present, past, and future, to my mind 
Reveal'd. 

In trembling ecstasy I look'd 
Throughout the universe deep, unmeasured. 
Limitless. My eager gaze shrank back 
Upon itself, when first its dazzling wonders 



48 DEATH. 

Burst in terror, glory, grandeur, on my sight. 

Above, below, around, far, far away, 

Through space that knew nor breadth, nor end, space 

Infinite as heaven itself, were systems 

On systems celestial, ranged myriad 

Times on myriads, multiplied in light, 

And strength, and order, more various than 

In uncounted numbers are the untold 

Sands of ocean's heap'd up beds, and perfect 

In their kinds as various. 

Biformed stars 
There were, hugely magnificent, crescent, 
Triformed, and round, of lens-like shapes, convex 
Or concave, and solids half spherical, 
Glittering with bright-illumined glories — 
All forms and fashions that the wide expanded 
Eye might bear, shining in silvery light, 
Or gleaming v/ith narti-coloured beams, gold 
Or purple, amethyst, jasper, or pearl — 
Like those which one who travels far to seek 



DEATH. 49 

From nature, in her desert ways, those lessons 

That the mighty mother there, in rugged form, 

May teach, oftentime, admiring much, 

In cloudless night has seen, the splendid terrors 

Of that scene sublime, denying sleep, while 

With unpillow'd head he lies beneath 

Arabian skies, or, yet more hapless far, 

Outstretch'd on broad Zahara's burning fields. 

Moons unnumber'd, robed in beauty maiden-like 

And soft, while gracefully, with timid wills 

Obedient, they sail attentive to the proud 

Majestic motions of the planetary spheres, 

Belted, or barr'd, or plane. 

Suns, or blood red. 

Or with black fire smouldering, these God's dread 

Volcanic arsenals ; or rainbow, hued, 

Soft temper'd to the enraptur'd sight, with many 

An iris ray and delicate shade ; 

Or else broad worlds of golden flame, full blazing 

In such quenchless splendours, that old Chaos 
5 



50 DEATH. 

And Satanic strife, in torturing pain's 
Fierce torments, down to their desolate seats 
Of treble gloom and ever-shrieking winds, 
With groans and yells terrific, flee, but to behold 
In momentary glimpse. 

And much more terrible, 
And still more bright than these, vast glowing comets 
On their loud hissing ways forth belching 
Sulphurous pestilence from Etnaean 
Depths, white with glaring heats, than hottest hell 
More hot, and speeding swifter than the lurid 
Lightning's fork through the wide azure fields 
Of space illimitable. 

Yet all these. 
Whether of sound proportion to the measuring eye, 
Or of a horrid make, whether of import 
Foul or fair they seem'd, were ministers 
Of God's strength and glory, perfect in their sort. 
And bent on ofiices of just and good. 

I turn'd my eye on earth. Beneath my feet. 



DEATH. 51 

Slow wheeling, with the soft seraphic music 

Of the starry choir, it circled on its bright 

Harmonious way enfolded, in that rich 

And varied drapery which benignant God, 

With ever graceful and full bounteous hand, 

Around its lovely form has freely thrown. 

Long wavy chains of swelling hills uprising 

Gently from the sloping vales beneath, 

As if to woo the rustling noontide breezes. 

First I saw, and mountains, cold and granite-mass'd. 

So huge, and still, and stern. But even here 

Might oft be seen sweet Beauty's softening smile, 

Unfurrowing from their stormy brows 

The gather'd frowns of ages, when their grisly 

Heads the silken mists of sportive morn 

Enwreath'd, or when tiara'd with those clouds 

Of golden hue, which from her vermeil altars 

Of the west, serenest eve sends up 

In volumed incense to the smiling skies. 

Next wide expansive seas, across whose broad 



52 DEATH. 

And ever-heaving tides the playful breezes 
Move on tireless wings, to distant lands less 
Bless'd virafting afar their fragrant loads, 
Pilfer'd in nectar'd kisses from the incautious 
Flowers, while dreaming, in star-lit sleep, 
Their rosy lives away, they lay in some 
Embower'd paradise of East. Then saw I, 
All at once, array'd beneath my wond'ring 
Gaze, in one far sweeping view, the moss turf 'd 
Covering of the quivering sod, trembling 
Into glowing life under the warm sun's 
Vivifying rays, while delighted nature 
Shows unto the vernal day the million birth 
Of young spring's meek-eyed brood ; the velvet 
Foliage of the waving woods ; the desert's 
Thirsty sands, gemm'd with their green and cool 
Oases, doubly beautiful ; rivers, whose 
Pearly streams stretch'd far away through fertile 
Plains to ocean's emerald brink ; and lakes, 
That seem'd in their transparent depths the crystal 



DEATH. 53 

Eyes of earth. Mountains, hills, and winding dales, 
Rivers, and seas, and lakes, and purling streams, 
Gay blooming boughs, and flowery turf, conspired, 
In all their loveliest power, to make 
The fresh, the rich, and radiant beauty 
Of this orbed world. 

Like her the hapless 
Peri, who, through the adamantine gate 
Of Paradise half-oped to let some happy 
Spirit in, caught once a glimpse of Eden's 
Blooming bowers, and wept to enter there. 
My soul, enwrapt in the unveil'd brightness 
Of this beatific scene, forgetting all 
Save that I heard and saw, thrill' d with a sense 
Of loveliness and light, I leant upon 
The bosom of the air in blissful admiration. 

The spirit clasp' d my hand, and at that touch 

I felt celestial blisses quiver through my form. 

Swift gliding through the moonlit atmosphere 
5* 



54 DEATH. 

Full spiced with odorous perfumes. 
Which the fairy genii, who preside 
O'er evening's balmy hours, with lily 
Fingers pressing from the uncrush'd flowers. 
Had scattered far and wide, exhaustlessly, 
Now fill'd with airy shapes, attuning their 
Soft voices in liquid streams of joy, while 
Night, well pleased, 

Looks down with all her starry eyes, 
And lists in silence to that cadence wild ; 

And jocund with the merry laugh 
Of many a gamboling sprite, 
When presently the sighing sumnier breeze 
Comes puiRng on, and in its eddying path 
They vainly strive to fly, with golden ringlets 
Fluttering in the sweet ambrosial blast ; 

Through the soft star-silver'd airs, 
Thick populated with all lovely shapes, 

We passed on rapid wings, 
And lit at last upon the solid land. 



DEATH. 55 

It was a lovely sight to see 
That spot on which we stood. 

Behold an oval fashion' d dale, 

Deep-bosom'd in the midst 

Of gently rising hills, 

Whose emerald waves, 
Through all the wide extended landscape rolling, 
With a rich woodland screen 

O'ertops the fair horizon. 
No mortal foot hath ever pass'd 

Its myrtle-guarded walls. 
No mortal eye hath e'er beheld 

The exhaustless treasures 

Of its many-tinted flowers. 
Such as the enthusiast's dream alone can see. 
When morning's light and formful sleep 

Holds up to varying fancy's 

Ever changing gaze 
That image-making mirror which reflects herself. 



56 DEATH. 

Or such as may array itself 

Before a poet's eager vision, youth-inspired, 

When imagination's golden light streams 

O'er the hues of his prismatic mind, 

And wakes the tuneful echoes of his heart, 

While sitting on the pebbly beach 
I 

Of some sun glowing sea, 
Or gazing, on the white-wing' d clouds. 

The palaces of spirits in the sky, 
From some cool-shaded noiseless vale, 
He pictures to himself 
Enwrapt in magic-colour' d thought's fresh wove tissue, 
Some spring-clad island home, 
Far distant on that burnished tide, 
Or paints some happy dwelling place in heaven, 
Where peace, and love, and joy, for ever smile — 
Such to my full enchanted sight 
Was this embower' d haunt. 
The turf lay thick and green. 
Close-matted in its mossy woof 



DEATH. 57 

Upon tlie genial soil, 
Save where sweet beds of flowers 

Gaze upward on the stars, 
Whose rich commingling odours. 
From where they lie, 
With gentle arms 
In love enwreath'd about each other's forms. 

Intoxicate the soul with a delight 
More blissful than they feel in their own fragrance. 
The red rose, blushing in its virgin pride, 
Hangs lightly on its briary stalk, 
And from its pale-cheek' d sister's brow 
Kisses, with trembling lip, 
The pearly tear away. 
Here violets, that spring by night, 
Of rarer shapes and scents by far 
Than those steep'd in their sweetest dew, 
Which some blithesome village maiden. 
Bright as the trilling lark, at early dawn, 
Gay^singing to her pleasant task, 



58 DEATH. 

Plucks lightly, from amidst their flagged leaves, 
E'er yet the burning sun 
Hath touch'd, with fervid ray, 
Their cool retreat— 

And soft as the breath they breathe — 
Mingle their hues and balmiest odours 

With the nectar' d sighs 
Of wind-flowers, pansies, hyacinths, oxlips. 

And sun-striped tulips tall. 
Until the freighted airs themselves grow faint. 
And on their weary way sink down to sleep 
Amid the silent flowers watching there. 

Nodding o'er such as these, 

And thpusands yet more wonderful 
Of this fair sisterhood, 

With forms of wild untutor'd beauty. 

And with colours magically bright. 
Were uncounted oderiferous shrubs. 
The rich aroma of whose scented leaves, 
The purest otto from gay India's clime 



DEATH. 59 

Distill'd from dew-fed roses, 
Might, in the strength of its keen sweetness, envy ; 
And fruit trees, burden' d with their luscious gold, 
That cluster' d thick upon each loaded branch, 
Bent low and temptingly, 

As though to beg some kindly hand 

To pluck their juicy mellowness. 
Over all these, 

In mazy intertwistings, ran 
All tendril'd vines of summer birth, 
Some showering down, for aye. 

Their million-coloured bloom 

Upon the verdant earth. 
Which melting there, beneath spring's gentle warmth, 

Flow'd purling through the grass 

In many-hued perfum'd streams, 

Low murmuring odorous melodies ; 
For aye supplied by countless swelling buds, 
Whose perfect beauties, bursting on the light. 

Expand in size and loveliness, 



60 DEATH. 

Until at last, 
Ecstatic in full bosom'd joy, 
They leap away from off the parent stem, 
To be resolv'd into nectareous springs. 
Others, their flexile limbs all intertwin'd, 
Bore crystal gems, 
Embosom'd in a glossy garniture 

. Of trailing vine and leaf. 
Or large purpl'd transparencies 
Enshaded with the deep dyed Tyrian stain, 
Or jewels bright gleaming with rich rubied rays, 
That leave their liquid treasures on the taste, 
E'er yet the tongue hath press'd them. 
Through this enchanting paradise 
Our pausing steps. 
Along a labyrinthine walk, slow wandering, 
Led to the green unebbing brink 

Of an unruffi'd lake. 
On whose unrippling stainless tide 
The water lily lay, 



DEATH. 61 

Sipping, in graceful ease, the limpid pearl, 

While gazing down, in maiden pride, 

Upon her snowy form, 

Light pictur'd in its waveless depths. 

In pure excess of happy innocence, 

Elve-like and soft she smiles. 

Here, when the sunbeam's virgin gold at morn, 

Comes broadly streaming, from th' empurpled east, 

In lustrous glow, 

Each sparkling drop 

Leaping beneath the roseate thrill. 

This dimpled sea seems as the flashing fount 

Of all earth's molten gems ; 

But now beneath the quiet-shining stars 

And fleecy-silver'd moon. 

And the unearthly measures of that fairy song, 

Whose soothing raptures, now, in gentlest current, , 

Steal from yonder jasmine trellised bower; 

It calmly lies, 

Bright as the seeming moveless stars 
6 



62 DEATH. 

That on its surface glitter. 
Oh ! list the soul-enthralling music 
Of that fairy strain. 

I. 

Come hither, fairies, to my jasmine bower, 

And wake in joy the charmed lay ; 
Haste hither, sisters, ere this moonUt hour 
Shall fly on silken wings away : 

Bring the myrtle and rose, 
And that flower which grows 
Lily white in the deep forest shade, 
And we '11 twine then a chain. 
That the spell may be vain 
Which would cruelly harm the fairy maid. 

II. 

Sweet sisters, come from your sports in the air, 
Where ye follow the fire-fly's sparkling shoots, 

Place the dew-pearl again in your glittering hair, 
And sing bright strains with your golden lutes. 



DEATH. 63 

That their magic sound 
May steal sweetly around, 
As they spread their web of fairy light 
O'er the sleeping flowers, 
And the nectar'd showers 
That fall from the eyes of gentle night. 
III. 
From your palaces under the rosy wave, 

Where in dreams ye pass the sunny day, 
From your gem- wrought homes in the crystal cave, 
Or leafy couch, pearl'd by gay streamlet's spray, 
Or waking or sleeping, 
In earth or air keeping 
Your dreams or yo\ir vigils of love ; 
Bless'd spirits, one and all, 
list to the fairy's call : 
For the stars in the silent sky. 
And the low wind's whispered sigh. 

And the tear in each flow'ret's eye. 
Will now our sweet toned power approve. 



64 DEATH. 

My panting soul 
In blissful madness heaved and fell, 

Beneath the melting charm 

Of that dissolving minstrelsy. 
The bulbul, nursed in Asia's orange gardens 
With tongue full steep' d in liquid odours, 
From where he sits, upon his rose leaf nest. 
Singing to night's fair silver crescent queen. 
Hath never yet pour'd forth such plaintive call ; 
Nor mock bird, when the soft summer lightnirig 

Of his thrilling note, 
Flashing across the vermeil-tinted wave, 

For the listless drowsy ear 

Of golden hued, dreaming eve 
Awakes sweet echoes o'er the honied waters 

Of some stilly sea ; 
Nor lute, nor harp, nor witch'd Thessalian lyre, 

Nor woman's charmed breath. 
Nor reed, touch'd by the balmy west-wind's lip, 
Nor deep unbroken strain 



DEATH. 65 

Of slow harmonious melody 
Breath'd from the solemn organ's windy tubes, 
Floating with wave-like rise and fall 
Through some broad arch'd cathedral dome, 

Or, singly arous'd in song, 

Or all in fullest unison awoke, 
Until the fainting heart grows sick 

With unaccustom'd bliss, 
One half the rapture of that magic lay 

Hath ever known or felt. 

The song has ceased — the last vibrating sound, 

Caught by the murmuring airs, prolong' d, 

At last had sunk in silence, save what might 

Linger on pleas' d memory's ear, when thus again 

The Spirit spake. 

" This scene, so rarely 

Beautiful, has fiU'd thy fine existence 

With delight new-born, unspeakable ; 

While joy's immortal glow 
6* 



66 DEATH. 

Pervades thy keenly sensate being, 

A power, of perfect knowledge, 

Throughout thy mind extends ; 

And full incorporate with thy feeling self 

Uranian love holds sovereign sway. 

The dewy softness of this moonlit hour, 

The unclouded glory of yon wheeling orbs, 

Each blade of fragrant grass, leaf, vine, and tree, 

This limpid lake, that seems a fount of light. 

That fairy music strain, so wildly sweet. 

Seem all of heaven, fraternal soul, to thee. 

Behold that flower upspringing from thy 

Unfelt step : fresh seems it as a laughing child, 

Awoke from healthy slumber, smiling 

In its mother's arms. The half felt breeze 

Slight bends its pliant stalk, 
And as its tiny bud rocks to and fro 

In innocent glee, 
Sparkling with an inborn light of gladness, 

It looks a purple star of earA. 



DEATH. 67 

Gaze deep, with unimpeded eye, 

Into its hidden source of life, 
Hidden by God's great will from mortal sight. 
And mark the powers that in its nature rule ; 
Seest thou, soul, ought there like death ?" 

Into its complex-textur'd form 
My wondering eye deep search'd ; 
FuU and perfect was God's power, 
Seen in that little painted flower. 

As in the hugest sun, 

That, veil'd in golden glory, 

Rolls its measureless sphere 
In nature's wide, unbounded, universal dome. 

Perpetual power of life was there : 
In it I saw the seed from whence it sprang ; 

The tender star-shaped leaf, 

The stalk of vivid green, 
The pearly roots, ent\yisted in the groujid. 

Was but new forna. 



8 DEATH. 

The vein-like channels playing through its trunk. 
Under the quick invisible pulsings 

Of its unseen heart, 
Gave through its frame a perfect conduct 
To the elixir streams of life and odour ; 

And yet all these 
Were in that seed from which it had its birth : 

All these were there : 
Yet by immortal spirits only to be seen ; 
And in this unattractive form, 
Again to be condensed 
By nature's fadeless laws. 
So that God's rule may be obeyed 

That gives it being. 
Undying as that earth on which it falls. 

Spirit, I said, while o'er my radiant face 
I felt the many-changing shadows 
Of my thoughts quick pass, 
I seek in vain, Death is not here. 



DEATH. 69 

Behold again, and thrice 
The Spirit Waved his hand. 

The scene was bitter changed — 
Seemed it that months had now roll'd by, 

And on their billowy tides. 
Into a wreck, most sadly desolate, 
Had swept away, forever, peace and smiling beauty 
From that sunny place, whilome so bright and glad. 
The whistling winds blew keen and cold 

Across chill fields of garish snow, 
Unprinted and unpress'd, while now and then, 

With fitful melancholy howl, 
They uttered torture's shrill complaints, 
As though their famished spirits needed yet 
More prey on which to feed — 
More havoc to be done. 
The ice encrusted branches 
Of the leafless trees 
Groaned piteously aloud, or shriek'd. 



70 DEATH. 

When thus the curdling blast pass'd on, 
As if fierce animate with pain. 
Rank weeds, with dank and pithless forms, 
Drooping in cold uncover'd penury, 
Now threw their skeleton shadows 

O'er that comfortless plain, 
As though fiend-like to mock, with misery and wo, 
The ashes of dead flowers entomb'd beneath ; 
Not one small spot of velvet verdure 

Met the dazzled eye ; 
But here and there a frosted tuft of grass. 
With aspect stain'd and scorch'd, was seen, 
From which the sicken' d eye fled fast in fright, 

E'er scarce was recognised 

Its foul and wither' d presence. 
The vines their leaves had lost, and circling tendrils. 
Whose sly insinuating fingers once 
Had search'd, amid the whispering trees, 

For tasteful places. 
Where best rich fruit might cluster gracefully. 



DEATH. 71 

Now stiff and straight, in rigid lines, 

Or ornamentless curves. 
Hung awkward on each creeking limb, 
Swinging monotonous with the piping storm ; 
Or on the hard and flinty ice-bound soil. 
All sapless lay. 
Dead to all grace, and lost to fragrance. 
On the brilliant lake the glittering ice. 
Thick frozen, shone, and through the torpid tide 
Beneath, the water lily's stem no longer 
Waving ran. Bright spirits all were gone 
From earth, air, sea, 
Of this once fragrant dale, — 
Ouphs, fairies, elves, and sylphs. 
To seek for happier homes 
In some far distant sun-warm land ; 
And herbless, leafless, shuddering aghast 
With cramp and cold, here might Despair well reign 
With demons leagued from winter's twilight caves. 



72 DEATH. 

Lo ! this is Death, — 
And shivering, then, with dread and fear abhorrent, 
Shrinking and pale, I closed my eyes in pain ; 
Spirit, I sadly said, is this the end 

For which this elvish bower 

Dawn'd into beauty's light? 
Was this the all for which gay flowers bloom'd, 

And leafy vines ran wild 

In nature's untrain'd grace, 
For which trees blush' d with fragrant loads of fruit, 
And laughing streams ran through the swarded turf; 
For which this sparkling lake bright flash'd 
Its gem-like woof of colours in the sun, 

And ouphs and fairies sang 

Such wildly joyous strains, 
Their gleesome hearts impregnate then 

With music's glowing powers ? 
Alas ! this seems like mockery in heaven, 

That now an icy shadow 



DEATH. 73 

On the souls of all pure things should lie, 

They dead with throbless hearts, 

And voices hush'd in unawakening sleep. 

The Spirit smiled — 
His face irradiate with heartfelt happiness, 
When thus God's sovereign acts 
He might in eloquent words defend — 

And at that smile 
I felt a pleasing glow of warmth and joy 

Illumine ray whole frame, 
With strength too keen and exquisite to speak 

In unembodying words. 

Aye, soul of fallen man. 
Whose quick perceptions, unforgetful yet 

Of earth's base taint, 
Compell'd thy sight for one unhappy moment, 

Through those film'd eyes 
Of thy near kindred mortal race. 

With ignorance and with passion's humours dimm'd ; 

7 



74 DEATH. 

"This is that which, warp'd by prejudice 

And evil thoughts, 
Thou and the seed of mam call Death ; 
But now with gladden' d eager-sensed ears 
Hear thou, the truth eternal, unimpeachable. 
God's will is law throughout wide heaven and earth, 
Which Time and Chance themselves 
And aU- their petty ministers obey, 
Abysmal Chaos and fair Light in awe obey. 
Thrones, powers, and dominions heaven-born, 
And Nature's wide extended, infinite rule. 
Perfect, and co-eternal with himself, 
Are these his changeless laws, a portion of his 
Being, immeasured even by the boundless 
Thoughts of hierarchal seraphim ; 
His seat is universe, his strength himself. 
Himself all power, all truth, and virtue. 
Uniform in order's solemn harmony. 
Beneath his feet fix'd stars, and suns, and planets 
Move; His hand traced out their orbit march, 



75 



And paved each golden path with solid light ; 
The attendant moons, watchful as loving brides 

Their warrior lords, 
When on their slow, majestic way, erect. 
And arm'd for mail-clad battle's deeds renown'd, 
They proudly go, He placed to shine by night. 

In chasten'd glory, 
Their brows else veil'd in mantled modesty. 

The rolling seasons him obey : 

All things of earth, — 
Thunder and red-fork'd lightning, and black storm, 
Uptearing, from their strong foundations, 
Stalwart o^ks, deep rooted in the ground, 

And angry tempest. 
Sweeping ocean's mad, tumultuous waves, 

In heaving fury to the skies : 
Fires, that burn unquenchably in central earth's 
Mysterious depths, his breath enkindled ; 
Huge rocks, vast caves, and precipices stern, 
Green hills and old aged mountains, bald and bleak. 



76 DEATH. 

He in their several places order' d : 
And viiUeys, whose cold, forbidding wildnesses 
Have ne'er been trod by man's untiring step. 
Or teeming with the rich luxuriant harvests 
That the fatten' d loam 
To art's compelling culture yields, 
And lakes, and seas, and rivers, hoarse thund'ring 
On their riotous ways in fierce noise and foam, 
Through channels, o'er Vv'hose broken beds 
The granite-encovering banks 
Throws black and threat'ning shadows. 
Or else, slow-moving, broadly 
On proud embosom'd tracks, 
To morn's rejoicing beams, 
Lave their fresh shores with glitt'ring waves. 

And on their mighty tides 
Invite commerce to sit as some great swan. 
With wings outspread to catch the willing breeze. 
These, and all fair subjects of the day and night. 
Do him continual reverence : the leaf 



DEATH. 77 

That rustling quivers in the wind, the flower 

That sleeps when twilight's poppied breath suspires 

Its drowsy influence on their thin dream-quivering 

Lids, or that at morn awakes in smiles 

To drink the roseate dew, and to inhale 

The fragrant freshness of the balmy airs 

That wait Aurora's graceful step ; the fruit 

That ripening mellows in the summer's sun, 

The gale that sweeps o'er autumn's golden fields, 

The insect, sporting in the noontide breeze, 

Or gather'd to his clustering tribe at even 

When the unthinking throng swarms in some 

Streamy shaft of light the sinking sun 

Shoots from his kingly eye, and spirits 

Unseen and shadowless as such formless airs 

That play among the sedgy reeds, beside 

Some glimmering stream, those pleasing strains 

The night-enshaded traveller hears entranced. 

When no rude voice the unearthly charm may stint, 

Or such as flitter o'er 

7* 



78 DEATH. 

That smooth unwrinkl'd wave, 
And ruffle not the moonbeam on its glassy throne ; 
The latest snow that lightly falls upon 
The lily cheek of April's first-born flower, 
Or that far spread o'er winter's chilly plain. 
On cold earth's iron lap unmelting lies ; , 

Yes, these and all things else. 
From some great world whose overgrown proportions 
Mortal mind may ne'er in their hugeness grasp, 
To each small shell or grain of unmark'd sand, 
That lies unnoticed on the curving beach 
Of an expansive sea, in him have strength 
And form existent, palpable. These are 
His glory, his resistless rule, all lesser 
Powers in these may work harmonious ; 
But in these are bound their adamantine bands, 
And to their rigid sway must yield, or in low 
Shame expire, if with ambitious hope they 
Cross His will before whose stern, whose just, 
Unwav'ring purpose the mightiest thing 



DEATH. "79 

Of universe pithless must fall, opposing. 
Weak man may rule his own poor petty sphere, 
God's word hath said, this law, 

Which universal wisdom 
Hath writ down unchangeably ; 

But as the meteor beam 
Passeth his fading will away 
Immerged in God's effulgent light, 

Which swallows up 
Ten thousand earth-enkindled stars, 
And yet no greater radiance knows. 
These powerless in their transitory flash 
To add one single ray to his almighty sun. 
Spirits all soul. 
And things of air impalpable, 

Who have no earthly hearts 
To feel fierce passion's taint ; 
Whose minds are fiU'd with God's unbounded love, 

And lips his constant praises chant. 
And ouphs and fairies, gentlest of earth's race, 



80 DEATH. 

Living unseen by man's dull eyes, unpurged 

Of ignorance and sin, all have their powers, 

Their many happy powers unknown, unwitness'd, 

But yet on him we lean, on him our God, 

Whose changeless, swerveless strength can never fail 

Nor ever be evaded. In some lone starlit vale 

We may make palaces unto ourselves 

Of sparkling gems and rich luxurious flowers. 

We may call upon the lute voiced birds to sing. 

And make the silver streamlet flow, and clothe 

The soil with living green, and hang ripe fruit 

Upon the glistening bough — but we, Idalian garden. 

And Hesperian fruit, must yield 

To God's eternal rule, or in that fainter 

Struggle far, than nerveless age, opposed 

To giant manhood's prime, may wage, sink into 

Voiceless death, and unrecorded nothingness. 

The flower, may blossom, but its leaves must fall. 

That the fine seeds which give it birth may form ; 

The stream may flow, and warble as it flows 



DEATH. 81 

Under the melting rays of summer's soft'ning sun, 

But when cold winter waves his icy sceptre 

O'er the land, its tide must sleep beneath 

His freezing breath ; the mellow fruit, not pluck' d, 

Falls to the ground and there decays, resolved 

Into diffusive elements, feeding the soil 

To give new birth and power to coming spring ; 

Else the flower is frozen in its bud, 

And dies and blooms no more, the tiresome stream 

No change of beauty knows, denies itself 

To nature, nor e'er one hundreth part 

Its magic strength may feel, and earth full soon 

Becomes a kneaded lump of sterile clay 

When from her all is taken, nought return'd. 

Yes, the loveliest thing that ever yet 
Had graceful undivided being, 

That ever shone in light. 

Or wreath'd itself in smiles, 

Aimless as zephyr 



82 DEATH. 

Playing o'er the dimpling waves of summer sea, 
Or firm as earth's unbending axis, 
Ne'er shaken from its nicely balanc'd poise, 
But in reliefless constancy beheld, 
Grows tame to eye and mind. 
The sense rejects the perfume of the rose. 
Smelling too oft its concentrated sweets ; 
The fever'd eye flies from the dahlia's 
Rainbow dyes too constant seen, to dull, 
Unmeaning black or to barbaric red. 

Seeking relief 
From ever-present beauty's agony, 
And music is all mute and passion soulless, 
But that God's providence. 
In wise ordainment, makes 
Kaleidoscopic change 
The ruling spirit of man's varying life. 
Nought yet of bright and beautiful. 
Nor breezy gush of gayest waterfall, 
Nor art-refined music's swelling strains, 



DEATH. 83 

Nor sea shell's pearl, deep dyed with nature's blood, 
Nor naiad stooping o'er her golden well 
With feathery robe and motion all so airy, 

Nor morning's liquid star, 
When day's pale tinge enstreaks the lucid east, 
Nor summer's crescent half moon 
That trembling hangs in amethystine sky. 
Nor grayish autumn's sweetest twilight its 
Mantling folds o'er the calm world throwing 
When eve's pure spell sinks deeply in the heart. 
As though high God had breathed his holy spirit there. 

But that if seen or heard 

In form or voice unchanging, 
The avoiding soul seeks bitterly to shun. 

What, then, is death but change ? What then is life? 
And change, that in its many forms 
New beauty ever shows ? 
Now see, bless'd Soul, once more the curtain'd veil 
Yielding before the breath of magic power. 



84 DEATH. 

Lifts broadly from the future, 

And now again the fairy bower, 

Like some fresh open'd delicate bud, 

Catching the vivid warmth of spring's gay smiles, 
Blushes in thousand fairest tints, 

Enravishes the kissing winds with incense rich, 
While showers of dews, 

Distill'd from out the azured skies, 
Down on the shrubs and trees, and stainless sward, 
And flowers and grass on which the moonbeams lie 

In lightest snowiest flakes, 
Softly fall like angel's tears in heaven : 
Such is thy will. Oh God ! both great and good, 

And to thy praise I sing. 

L 

Amidst the golden lights on high, 

. Dread God, thou art sitting, 
And with eff'ulgent searching eye 
Heaven's king befitting. 



DEATH. 85 

Darts through wide space a universal ray- 
While men and angels own thy ever blissful sway. 

II. 

Whose hand hath made these arching skies, 
And clothed the sunset with its gorgeous dyes ? 

Who gave the moon to shine 
When twilight, pale, slow gathers o'er the world, 
While for short time day hath his radiant banner furl'd? 

Father sublime, 't was thine. 

III. 

Who fills night's ebon vault with silver fires, 

And showers the orient rains ? 
Who gave the whispering breezes mystic lyres 

To play those soft-toned strains 
That lull sweet eve to calm and holy sleep, 
While from spring's cradling buds the bright eyed 
dreamlets peep ? 

Father supreme, 'tis thee. 



86 DEATH. 

IV. 

Who gives me joy exhaustless thus to sing, 

And words to weave my lay ? 
Who gives full strength to each created thing, 
His praise to chant, from whom all pleasures spring, 

Even as from the source of day 
Light springeth on its bright and gladd'ning way. 
O'er forest, hill, and vale, with splendour-streaming 



ray 



Again, great God, 't is thee. 

V. 

Then sun and stars, and deep and moveless sky, 
And modest, meek eyed moon. 
Wake, in resounding tone, the pealing melody; 
And ye, earth's fairest things, that bloom 

In joy's bright light. 
Whose heaviest, darkest, gloomiest doom 
Is soft as May's pure night, 
Ye shady bowers and rosy streams, 



DEATH. 87 

And hills that catch the morning's beams, 
Ye fertile vales whose laden harvest fields 
To man their golden treasure yearly yields, 
And ye, bless'd Spirits, whose immortal souls 
Shall live when earth through space no longer rolls, 
(If such sad hour may ever be,) 
Join ye to swell the choral symphony ; 
Just God, we sing to thee. 

Long on the spirit's glowing face I gazed. 

Moveless I gazed with eye enwrapt, entranced. 

Watching the heaven-lit changes of his smiles. 

Listing the notes breath'd from his trembling lips, 

As, with a quick and sympathetic motion. 

The wavy outline of his airy form 

Thrill'd to the thoughts that stirr'd throughout his 

being ; 
Then from my joyful trance the spirit voice 
Awoke me with soft words which fiU'd my ear 
With wild iEolian music. 



88 DEATH. 

Thus earth arose from out the womb of time- 
On that morn which first, in raptured gladness. 
Saw the glorious sun 
Flash through the enwreathing mists 

Of Chaos' expiring power, 
Light up the blushing clouds, 
Smile o'er the amaranthine main, 
And fill wide heaven with his royal glance, — 

Thus did this planet Earth, 
Revolving in its silver43eaming sphere, 
On happy course eternal move, singing 
Pure praises to the Almighty Father 
Who gave it life and loveliness. 
Soul of man, from whose admiring eyes 
The scales of ignorance have fallen, 
Thou seest God's hand in all, designing good, 
And working out his ends with fullest power. 

Spirit, I ask'd, shall these far blazing suns 
E'er pass away? 



DEATH. 98 

Shall earth be blotted out from heaven ? 
Shall heaven itself be wither'd into nought? 

Nor spirit, nor angel, the voice replied, 
Whether from heaven or from the deep abyss, 

Save One, 
The dread, the unbegotten, unconceiv'd. 
Can e'er look back with uncreated mind, 
Unbounded, super-infinite as himself. 

Unto the astounding birth 

Of mightiest Universe, 
Or can conceive its end. 
But know thou, undying Soul, 
With intellect unbondaged, disenthrall' d 
From mortal claims and those cramping pains 

Of finite thought. 
Faint struggling in immortal gaspings 

With its clanking chains — 

Thou, with strength engifted well to see and feel 

The everlasting truth, 
8* 



90 DEATH. 

That if yon stars were quench' d in their bright paths, 
If yonder myriad suns — ^behold their thronging 
Glories intermingling round God's unseen 
Throne, in an unmeasur'd blaze of radiance, 

Throbbing with ecstatic bliss — 
If all these multitudinous splendours 
Were blotted out in solid darkness, 
If images of horror unexpress'd, 
Ten times more fierce and horrible 
Than deepest hell's unmention'd terrors, 
Hissing black venom from their blist'ring tongues, 
And ever with untiring throats shouting 

Discordant thunders, 
Were to fill all measureless space with their 
Terrific rage and poisonous stench, 
If universe herself convuls'd, 
Should, in her dying throe, tear the vast heavens 
Away, yet in God's great judgment would these acts 
Be done supreme in good. 
Each word the Spirit spake seem'd fiU'd with truth : 



DEATH. 91 

In vain I look'd abroad for hidden death ; 

I search'd the living heavens, 

I ran my glance o'er earth : 

With sympathy celestial the wing'd voice 

Read in my beaming eyes my thoughts, 

And then again he spoke 

In sorrowing tone. 

Thou knowest man's eventful history. 

Whose every page is red with human carnage ; 

Sin, and fire-eyed Discord, eldest born of Sin, 

Have quaff'd, exulting in the feast. 

Their gory goblets to the very dregs. 

The piteous cry of Wo, weeping convulsed 

O'er dying Hope, borne on the wailing winds. 

Have knell'd uncounted nations to their graves. 

Despair and squalid Misery, bound by 

No laws of God or man, nor fearing ought. 

With torn and filthy raiment, saturate. 

By murder, with life's crimson spoil, that strange 



92 DEATH. 

And sadly hideous in the sun appears, 
Reeling and blind with wretchedness and guilt, 
Hand in hand, o'er earth's broad fields, 

Have widely wander'd, 

Heralded by Desolation. 
Yet lower still, than when he fell from heaven, 
Man sank, seduced by mad ambition's 
Softly whisper'd tale, led on by Luxury 
And Vice. Thus was the avenging wrath 
Of God at last enkindled into deadly 
Flame, and Soul, e'er now, on man's devoted head. 

While yet the curse of blasphemy 

Was black'ning on his lips, 
While yet with solemn ceremonial pomp 
He bow'd his knees, in disobedience. 
To false gods, the vials of scorching death 
Had full been pour'd, if He — unto the Lord 
Be power and glory evermore — who leads 
The angelic bands, bless'd Son of God, 
The Christ of man, and Saviour of the world, 



DEATH. 93 

Had not, in sufferings, wo, and mortal 
Agonies, redeem'd mankind from sin 
And writhing pains, eternal as the never-fading 
Soul. But man was only partly saved ; 
The curse of death no longer, as a pointed 
Sword, to cleave the brain in torture, o'er 
Him hung ; but sin was left unslain, to trail 
Through earth his serpent path, and yet to prey 
On man, who, in free agency, defenceless 
Stood, if found unarm'd, in virtue's mail of proof. 
And with this complex-figured fiend 
Came Ignorance, with her loathsome motley 
Brood ; vile Prejudice, with his crook'd limbs. 
And jaundiced eyes distorted from the truth ; 
Error, whose visual ray, deaden' d and owlisbr 
In its leaden stare, prefers night's darkness 
To the light of day ; Envy and Malice, 
Palsied Doubt, and Rule, and damned Untruth, 
With lip of honey and with heart of gall. 
These fix, in fiendish glee. 



94 DEATH. 

The heavy chains that rusty on the mind. 
These curb the soul's free wings, 
These crush the germ of intellect 

In its quick'ning power, 
Or dwarf into the stunted bush 
That hides the knotted serpent in his nest 
The intellectual oak, whose roots would 
Strike to central earth's rich mineral beds„ 
Imbibing, from these precious treasures 

Of the hidden mine, 
Lustrous beauty's rarest colourings, 
Whose high tow'ring head would proudly seek. 

In the pure depths of air. 
The showery font of the empyreal dews. 
These shout and clap their hands with savage joy. 
When rampant war, leaping infuriate 
From the bonds that feebly bind 

His giant limbs. 
Draws forth the thirstying sword, 
Unfolds his blood-red banner 



DEATH. 95 

To the flaring skies 
That gleams above his threat'ning West 

The beacon light of terror 
Winds forth the startling bugle blast, 

Loud echoing through the land, 
That pales life's current on the boldest brow, 
While with bright dagger, flashing in its ire, 
Full at the fluttering heart of gentle Peace 
He strikes, that shrieking at the unpiteous 
Blow, quick flies the bleeding vale, to crouch 
Amid the rugged mountain's unsealed rocks. 
These, with Hypocrisy's insidious smile. 
Unto the unsuspecting stranger's thirst 

Proffer, in treacherous act. 
The bowl, deep drugg'd with fiery poisons. 
These, in religious mask, seek. 
With the inquisitorial rack. 
And humid dungeon's solitary gloom. 
And speech, that tempts with golden lies. 
As from the great first serpent's tongue, to force 



96 DEATH. 

Unbartering Conscience to forswear herself, 
To sell her freedom-birthright, and to live 
The slave of Prejudice and cramping Rule, 
To clog her form immortal 
With dull mortal dress ; 
To die a tortured death, a death that knows 
No glorious afterbirth of bliss, no end. 
These taint earth's airs with their infected breath, 
They fill the conquering hero's heart 
With dreams of selfish power. 
And turn the troubled channel of his thoughts 
Awry, until the hot, tumultuous waters 
Of the mind drown fainting Reason. 
Then are the latent fires within his breast, 
By passion's swift raging tempest, into 
Glowing phrenzy's comet-heat full stirr'd, 
And he, whose hand should hold the patriot 
Spear, whose brow should wear the laurel wreath 
Accredited by proud-eyed Fame, whose life 
Should be a treasure and a blessing to mankind, 



DEATH. 97 

Whose consecrated body should go down 

Beneath the hallow'd sod, while nations chant 

The solemn dirge of him, the nobly just, 

Whose soul should seek the bosom of its God, 

Upborne by minist'ring angels, singing 

Sweet hymns of joy to their symphonic harps, 

Unstain'd by crime, untrembling but with bliss. 

Becomes a peevish despot on his tinsel throne. 

The curse of history and mock pageant 

Of a day. These p3rplex, with sophist craft. 

The counsel of the wise, distracts the statesman's 

Honest aim, direct disastrous cabal. 

And prompt in cunning guise to intrigue, 

Groveling in its shame, that ends in loss. 

In wo. They sit with Learning, 'midst her 

Treasur'd stores, whispering strange phantasies 

In her wond'ring ears ; or walk with Science 

In the academic porch, teaching to her 

Unquiet mind inexplicable subtleties. 

For those calm truths on which, before, she 
9 



98 DEATH. 

Firmly based her strength. They muse with grave 
Philosophy, where secluded deep within 
The hoary grave she silent sits, 

Poising, with Archimedean strength, 

The intellectual universe 

Of her own vast thought. 
They muse with grave Philosophy, whose mind 
They puzzle with obscuring mists, whose hand 
They weaken with their feverish draughts. 
Until at last, in feeblest impotence. 
The sage goes tott'ring down to his unhonour'd 
Grave, his soul unnerv'd, his mind a chaos, 
And his world a joyless wreck. In siren 
Voice they chant sweet lays to Fancy, while 
In gay sunshine, beside the murmuring 
Stream, he careless sits, weaving a blooming 
Chaplet for his laughing brow, and as 
The cunning song swells from the musical 
Note that breathes love's fragrant sigh, beneath whose 
Trembling melody so gently exquisite 



99 



The airs themselves are breathless o'er their tinkling 
Lyres, into ambition's deep stirring trumpet 
Sound, the soft boy-god of poesy leaps 
Startled from the turf, throws from his dimpled 
Hand the halfcrush'd wreath of roses. 
And with the all-quenchless flame undying 
At his heart, seizing with eager haste his 
Tuneful harp, that hangs upon the myrtle 
O'er his head, with one quick rapid glance 
Around him on that fairy home, of all his 
Former joys the happy scene, boldly with 
Flashing eye for lofty Parnassus' sun-crown'd 
Head he strikes, but presently quick panting 
Out of breath, full on some sharp and barren 
Rock he falls, and there unnourish'd, dies. 
In boastful strength they stand uncourting light. 
And if perchance they raise their blinking eyes 
To God's eternal sun, they see no inspiration 
In its noble beam, its blaze is hurtful 
To their feeble gaze, and while the putrid curse 



100 DEATH. 

Lies rotting in their hearts, ashamed and guilty 

In their own black thoughts they crawl in slime away. 

With fell intent they ever shoot their aimless 

Shafts at Truth, as with bold flight she circles 

Through the skies, and if an arrow, shot by their 

Malignant hands, should hapless bring her stunn'd 

And bleeding to the ground, while helpless there 

She lies, in rage that speaks the low born 

Tyranny of mischanced rule, the petty passion 

Of an adder heart, they scatter dust upon 

Her plumage bright, and try with busy power 

To break her golden wings, until at last 

She gathers life and opes her eagle eye, 

When shivering then with dread at that majestic 

Glance, quickly they slink away to hide themselves 

In gloom. But their dangerous sway, to be in part 

Still felt until the roseate dawn 

Of the millennium day, 
Continues o'er the earth, and even 
The good and wise, seeing through those mistied 



101 



Mediums, which they in their vile orgies 
Make, unknowingly distort God's perfect will, 
And following far the quagmire exhalations 
Which are raised to cheat adventurous thought, 
For this false gaseous glitter of the night, 
Mistake the sacred influence of Truth's law 
Divine. But come thou now with me, my task 
Is yet to show thee, radiant Soul, how God 
To man is ever merciful, to thankless man, 
Who sometimes, in his self-made ignorance, 
Blindly deems beneficence an injury, 
And great God himself a fiend ! 



END OF PART FIRST. 



ERRATUM. 

Page 29, line 15, for muttering^ read meltini 



